Thursday, March 17, 2011

Sure the holiday is mostly popular because of the Irish in America.
St. Patrick's Day was a somewhat minor holiday in Ireland until Irish-Americans (likely wanting a taste of home) helped make it the huge celebration it is today.

And, though Guinness is my favorite beer and I celebrate today with the best of them, it should be noted by everyone (Irish or not) that St. Patrick was a rather interesting fellow. Certainly one worth reading about.
And for nearly all you ever could know about St. Patrick - here's a great site.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

What is believed to be the very first time a person was caught on film.The year was 1838. The medium is not really a "photograph" but a daguerreotype.The image was taken by the inventor of the medium himself, Louis Daguerre.

Click on the photo for a much larger view!

The "person" in the image is of a man getting his boots shined on the corner of a boulevard in Paris.

The sidewalks and streets of Paris were likely busy during the taking of the "snapshot" and not empty as the appear.But, the process for taking the image took approximately 10 minutes.Thus, anything that wasn't relatively still for 10 minutes did not appear on the daguerreotype.

Some have found images of other people on the photo like a man standing under an awning, a woman under a streetlamp, a person in a window, and a child peering through another window.Do you see them, too?

A fine study of the image has been done by Nicholas Jenkins. See his blog for more information about this amazing picture.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

In a world where we expect everything at our fingertips, it's not so astonishing to believe there are vending machines selling some pretty crazy stuff....and I'm not talking about those old Skittles you find in some machines.

I'm talking about live crabs, bikes (Yes. Bicycles), milk, and toilet paper.Those are some examples of the weirdness I'm referring to...HAVE A LOOK FOR YOURSELF!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Companies like AeroVironment are developing spybots that look and act like insects and birds.These bots are meant for use by the military.Officials suggest they could be used by police and fire departments, too.Although, I can't imagine why the fire department needs their camera to look like a hummingbird.

Check out the video of AeroVironment's Nano Hummingbird in action below.The upper left corner of the video is a feed from the Hummingbird's camera (located in it's belly).

If that doesn't give you any the willies, consider this:

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is creating ways to use REAL insects (equipped with cameras and manipulated by electric stimulation) in the way the Hummingbird above can be used.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Having been fortunate enough to do a little traveling in my lifetime, I thought I’d share my list of TOP 5 TRAVEL FACTS…#1 being the most important to remember:

5. Get used to the idea that itineraries are not set in stone

It’s okay to have an itinerary. But, don’t fill up every second of your trip with a scheduled event. You will fail at staying on schedule. More importantly, you will fail to enjoy your trip.

4. Expect surprises

Some will be pleasant: Some of the best nachos I’ve ever eaten were not in Mexico, Texas, or California, but in Scotland. Yes. Right in the Highlands…they were delicious.

Some will be unpleasant: My family once had a tire blow out at TWO separate times during ONE short two-hour drive on a weekend get-away. One-blowout-per-hour is not a good measure of travel distance.

3. Pack Light

In order to take only what you need, you should know what “need” is.

6 pairs of shoes for a 10 day trip is probably not something that falls in the “need” category. Sure, MAYBE you might sometimes regret not packing something. But you WILL ALWAYS be glad you don’t have to lug heavy bags on and off of vehicles, through parking lots, or in and out of airports.

2. Meet the locals and get to know yourself a little better

Forget the stereotypes. I’ve been to Paris, France and I’ve been to New York City.

I have not met one person that fits either of the negative stereotypes most people associate with both of those cities. Visit the tourist-traps for the fun of it. There's nothing wrong with it. But, for truer and more exhilarating travels visit with the locals. You will be glad for the experience. You will discover as much about yourself as you will about other people.

1. Go somewhere, ANYWHERE!

My family never has been financially well-off, but my mother loved to travel…she still does.

As a child in my mother’s home we scraped up and saved up all we could for our vacations. Then we packed into our old station-wagon and make great memories. Most of our trips weren’t the kind you find in popular travel books and magazines. Most were to simple inexpensive places. But ALL were vacations that live fondly in my memory.

Ultimately, it’s not the destination that makes vacations great.

It’s the time spent away from the daily drudgery life is filled with.

Disney World is truly magical. Paris at night is lovely. The English countryside is beautiful in the spring. I’ve been lucky enough to experience these things and will not argue the facts.

But the emotional benefits of my time spent traveling with my family are what made the biggest impressions on me as a child. And now, I gather life-long memories from vacations with my own children.

Research shows that a lot of those people overpaying the IRS are Americans who go to less-than-qualified tax professionals to get their taxes done.So, my friends, please take the time to do your homework before deciding who gets to do your taxes.Going to someone just because they do your taxes cheap may be costing you money in the long run

I can stare at photos like those I found on Flickr (below) for a really long time.Something about the city lights and the fading blue sky combines to make every picture of a city at dusk postcard worthy.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

We can't actually smell space due to the lack of oxygen up there.But a burned steak odor is what comes off of the astronaut's space-suit according to astronauts after they have spent some time outside of their spacecraft.

Popular Science has a recent article explaining what space smells like and why the smell is "like a burned steak".The article confirms an astronaut is not just longing for a home-cooked meal when he/she smells the burned beef after a space-walk.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

It's not meant to take the place of the sacrament.It is instead something that is to be used to better prepare for confession whether you are a practicing or returning Catholic.From the creator (Of the app -- not that Creator):

Designed to be used in the confessional, this app is the perfect aid for every penitent. With a personalized examination of conscience for each user, password protected profiles, and a step-by-step guide to the sacrament, this app invites Catholics to prayerfully prepare for and participate in the Rite of Penance. Individuals who have been away from the sacrament for some time will find Confession: A Roman Catholic App to be a useful and inviting tool.

I do not mean to belittle Catholicism, or ANY religion, but this seemed a little...umm...weird.Still, if it makes you a better man or woman -- GO FOR IT!We need more good people in this world.